Milestones
by FinchelPrincess
Summary: "It's a milestones board. You cross off a stone for every milestone we cross together." Finchel, milestones as they grow up. T for later chapters.
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

It was nearly graduation day, and Rachel was admiring the ring on her finger. It wasn't fancy, you could see it had been bought on a limited salary but Rachel didn't care, and she had never cared.

The only thing Rachel really cared about was the man who gave it to her. Finn. Finn had been her rock for as long as she could remember. She knew they were graduating soon and that life wouldn't be perfect, but as long as Rachel had Finn she knew she'd be fine.

Her absolute confirmation came when Finn gave her the weirdest present she had ever received. Weirder than the pig.

On the 18th of April, Finn showed up at her house with a board. He asked to come inside, and promptly went into Rachel's living room and put the board down. Upon closer inspection, Rachel noticed that the board had about 15 stones.

"Um, Finn… What is this?"

"It's a milestone board." He said, as if that would explain everything.

"And… What does it do?"

"You see these stones? One is for every milestone we cross together." Rachel thought that the idea was strange but insanely cute, so she told him that she thought it was wonderful. She hung the board up on her bedroom wall, patiently waiting for graduation so she could cross off the first stone.

* * *

**I just thought the milestone board would be cute… Anyhow, should I continue? It would just be little one shots of milestones, but ya know, its cute.**

**Next Chapter: Graduation Day**


	2. Graduation Day

Graduation Day

* * *

Graduation day came sooner than any of New Directions could expect. Finn, Kurt and Rachel were all in their caps and gowns (red with gold trimmings), and they all had two letters in their hands.

They were confident they would all get to be in New York, as they'd all applied to NYU as well as NYADA/Pace.

They all decided to open their NYU letters at the same time, then show everybody.

Kurt opened his and a smile played on his lips as he saw that he was accepted.

Rachel tore hers open carefully, worried even though she knew thick envelopes were a good sign. Her letter informed her that she did, in fact, get a place (and a scholarship) to NYU's Music Theatre program.

Finn was honestly the most nervous. His hands were shaking.

"I didn't get in." he sighed. "Rach. I didn't get in. I'm not going to New York."

"Finn." Rachel said, trying to shut Finn's babbling up. "Open your letter from Pace."

"If NYU didn't accept me, then why will Pace?"

"Just open it." Rachel said. Finn opened his letter carelessly, confident he wouldn't get it and that he would have to leave Rachel and Kurt in New York by themselves. He read the first few lines a couple times before raising his head.

"I got in!"

"I knew you would." Rachel smiled before opening her letter from NYADA. Kurt had opened his a few seconds before, sighing.

"I didn't get in." Kurt sighed again.

"It doesn't matter, you still got into NYU." Rachel said before reading her own letter. "I got in." She said quietly, not quite believing.

* * *

"Congratulations, William McKinley High Graduates 2012!" Principal Figgins said into his microphone as the Class of 2012 threw their caps into the air. This was it. All the slushies, all the pain, all the bad memories, all the boos. This moment made up for it all, and as they stood on the Auditorium stage, Finn and Rachel felt truly happy.

* * *

"I got in to NYADA!" Rachel was busy calling up everybody on her contacts list. She was currently on _Green, Ella _(who Rachel thought she knew from a Musical camp when she was 13) when she called Finn.

"Hello!" Rachel said, not knowing who was on the other line.

"Rach?" Finn said. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. It's fine." She began. "But while I have you on the line-"

"Did you know my mom's having a baby?"

"No. Seriously?"

"Apparently. Rach, is it April Fool's Day again and no-one told me?"

"I don't think so. This is good for them! You and Kurt are going off to college, this baby'll be the last thing they have left."

"I don't mind the baby, but, if my mom is pregnant, doesn't that mean that she and Burt… You know…" Rachel laughed.

"Seriously? Anyway, in New York, were we going to rent an apartment or were we all going to stay in dorms because…" Rachel started to go on about New York and Finn smiled. Rachel really was the girl for him.

* * *

**Alright, how's that? I really just wanted Finn and Kurt in New York soon so I put Kurt in NYU and Finn in Pace and you know this because you just read it.**

**Anyway, I reckon this is about the average length of the oneshots in this collection. Some of the may be longer (Wedding Day, anyone?) and some of them may be shorter (Baby's first words &amp; steps, and I may put them into one chapter anyway)**

**So ya.**

* * *

_Next Chapter: Moving In_


	3. Moving In

Moving In

* * *

It was a hot August day in New York. Finn and Rachel were in their (and Kurt's) apartment, a three bedroom about 10 minutes away from a subway station.

They had spent the summer attending/throwing graduation parties and had spent most of August in New York. They'd nearly finished furnishing.

Kurt was still in Lima and as NYU had its first week a week after NYADA and Pace.

The building manager in the lobby gave Rachel three keys and told her to come down if she ever needed anything.

The apartment was on the fifth floor, but the day they'd chosen to move in, the elevator had broken. Between the two of them they had three suitcases and a backpack. Finn carried two suitcases and Rachel carried the rest (and the keys).

The building manager was called Susan and throughout August she let them into the apartment. The building was relatively new (it was built in early 2011) and no one had lived in apartment 5C before.

Rachel stopped outside the door and used one of the keys to unlock it. She opened the door to find the apartment fully furnished.

"This is our home." She said, pulling a bag in.

* * *

After they had unpacked the suitcases, they decided to get the subway to Manhattan and spend the rest of the day exploring. They each took a key (leaving one in the bowl) and got the subway into Manhattan.

The first place they went was Broadway. It was only 2 p.m., but Rachel wanted to make sure that the production of "Spring Awakening" was on tonight.

After that they looked around the city (as much as they could) and made it back to Broadway at 6 o'clock for the show. They then went back to the apartment.

"Hey." Rachel said, picking up the board. "We never crossed off graduation." She found a pen lying around and crossed off both "Graduation" and "Moving In".

"Next week." Finn smiled. "We'll cross of First week of college."

"Together." She said. "Always together."

* * *

**I'm sorry that this was so boring but you have to bear in mind that A) I've never been to New York (gasp), B) I have never moved into a city and C) Never been to (American) college.**

**But it was really boring.**

**The next one'll be better, I promise.**

_Next Chapter: First Week Of College_


	4. First Day Of College

First Day Of College

Buy Groceries

Set up Kurt's Room

Learn subway routes

GET READY FOR SCHOOL!

Rachel checked her list and sighed. This day meant the start of her life, and the end of endless summers. Today was her first day of school. It was a Tuesday. NYADA always started on a Tuesday.

Finn had started on Monday. He came home on that night, a smile on his face. Rachel just hoped NYADA was as good as Pace seemed to be.

* * *

It wasn't.

"This girl, Amaya, smirked the whole time and it was just frustrating. And I think my dance teacher, Miss July, was drunk. It was awful." Rachel recounted her day to Finn, who just sat there holding her, which in her opinion, was the best thing anyone could ever have.

"It'll be okay. Soon enough, Amaya will crash and fall and you can rise to the top."

"I don't want to crush her!" Rachel exclaimed.

"If 16-year-old you could see you now. She'd be so mad."

"How did she get you?"

"She was awesome. Better than you."

"Finn Christopher Hudson, take that back! Or she might return!"

"Good." Finn said.

"I'm mad at you now."

"I love you." Finn leant in for a kiss, but Kurt took that moment to crash through the door.

"I'm here!"

* * *

**I think that end bit was cute...**

**Anyway! **

**(too excited, turn it down girl)**

_Next Chapter: Proposal (!)_


	5. Proposal

**Proposal**

Finn had proposed to Rachel in their senior year of high school (it was now four years later, and they were nearly finished with their senior year of college).

He had spent many hours working late shifts at the Lima Bean to pay for her ring, and lately Finn noticed she hadn't been wearing it.

He needed a plan, a way to make sure she:

A) Wasn't cheating on him

B) Wasn't Breaking up with him

And C) Wasn't leaving him.

His first though was to confront her, just ask her if she was seeing anyone else.

Then he remembered he was talking about Rachel, and threw that idea out the window.

Then he came up with the idea: a perfect way to make Rachel re-fall in love with him.

Rachel slept in that day, lost in dreams of Broadway. Finn took that as his cue to start the plan.

* * *

When Rachel woke up, Finn had cooked her vegan Spaghetti Carbonara, her favourite no-school meal.

"Good afternoon." He said, causing her to check the clock (it was 6:49).

Rachel and Finn ate their dinner quickly, mainly in silence.

When they were both done, they washed up.

"Rachel, I noticed you haven't been wearing your ring lately." Finn began.

"I haven't been cheating." Rachel said quickly (almost suspiciously, but Finn trusted his fiancée).

"I know." He said. "I thought maybe you took it off for a class or something. Anyway, I thought you deserved better than-"

"No." she said.

"I thought you deserved better than that old ring. It cost 50 dollars. It's not a good ring. So, I got you a new one."

"A new ring? You didn't need to."

"Yes I did. Rachel Berry," Finn began, quickly wiping the soap bubbles off his hands and looking in his pockets while kneeling down.

"Will you marry me?" she smiled.

"Yes."

* * *

**This isn't really a proposal, but hey!**

**Anyway, next chapter is College Graduation.**


	6. College Graduation

**College Graduation**

* * *

Four years.

They had spent four years in New York. In College. Just being together (Kurt was originally there too, but moved in with Blaine during their Sophomore year).

And it was over.

* * *

Rachel's came first. On the 19th of June, Rachel stood on the stage in the Winter Garden Theatre, holding a diploma stating that she, Rachel Barbra Berry, had graduated from possibly the best musical theatre school in the country.

She still couldn't believe it.

Several seats were filled with her family and friends: she could see Finn (in the front row) and her dads were a few rows back, Kurt and Blaine (who had also gotten into NYADA, and had to be persuaded by Kurt not to go to NYU with him) were definitely there somewhere, she thought that Quinn and Puck had gotten the train from New Haven and she was certain that Will, Emma, Daniel and their newborn daughter Jessica were somewhere.

She was so proud. She knew she had a long way to go, but this was her first step to Stardom. Her first step towards her name in lights.

It was possible Finn was prouder. He loved that she was living her dreams, and he loved that he could be there too.

* * *

His graduation was a week later. She was so excited for it he thought she might jump up onto the stage with him (his stage wasn't nearly as exciting as the _Winter Garden Theatre_, but neither she nor he cared in the slightest). His family (and again the Schuesters, and probably Quinn and Puck) were in the auditorium too. But he could only see her. (Partly because she was diverting his attention, partly because he loved her so much that everyone else in the room ceased to exist.

It was a good week.

* * *

_Next chapter: Marriage_


End file.
